Biosurfactant-assisted phytoremediation of potentially toxic elements in soil: Green technology for meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Biosurfactants are biomolecules produced by microorganisms, low in toxicity, biodegradable, and relatively easy to synthesize using renewable waste substrates. Biosurfactants are of great importance with a wide and versatile range of applications, including the bioremediation of contaminated sites. Plants may accumulate soil potentially toxic elements(PTEs), and the accumulation efficacy may be further enhanced by the biosurfactants produced by rhizospheric microorganisms. Occasionally, the growth of bacteria slows down in adverse conditions, such as highly contaminated soils with PTEs. In this context,the plant's phytoextraction capacity could be improved by the addition of metal-tolerant bacteria that produce biosurfactants. Several sources, categories,and bioavailability of PTEs in soil are reported in this article, with the focus on the cost-effective and sustainable soil remediation technologies, where biosurfactants are used as a remediation method. How rhizobacterial biosurfactants can improve PTE recovery capabilities of plants is discussed, and the molecular mechanisms in bacterial genomes that support the production of important biosurfactants are listed. The status and cost of commercial biosurfactant production in the international market are also presented.     

Copper localization in Cannabis sativa L. grown in a copper-rich solution

Summary With the aim to examine its potential as a renewable resource to decontaminate polluted soils, electron microscopy combined with X-ray microanalysis was used to investigate the localization of copper in Cannabis sativa grown in hydroponic copper-rich culture. Cu was found to accumulate preferentially in the upper leaf epidermal cells; it was also detected in spiculae and in abaxial trichomes too. Primary bast fibres seem to be not involved in copper accumulation.     

东南景天提取污染土壤中锌的潜力研究

通过盆栽实验研究了两种生态型东南景天提取污染土壤中锌的能力,结果表明,超积累生态型东南景天具有很强的忍耐土壤中高浓度锌、铅和镉的能力,并能从土壤中吸收和转移大量锌到地上部,超积累生态型东南景天地上部的Zn含量为7062～9558mg／kg,非超积累生态型为256～407mg／kg,超积累生态型东南景天地上部的Zn总积累是非超积累生态型的4l～62倍。矿山土壤添加稻草后,促进了超积累生态型东南景天的生长,地上部生物量显著提高,且锌含量也明显增加。种植超积累生态型东南景天后土壤乙酸铵提取态锌有上升趋势,和种植前比较,在矿山土壤和污染土壤上分别增加了4．3％和9．4％,种植超积累生态型东南景天后土壤交换态锌和有机结合态锌明显增加,残渣态锌减少,而对非生态型,种植前后土壤中锌的化学形态没有什么变化。添加菜籽饼和稻草对两种土壤中Zn的化学形态转化均没有显著性影响,其原因有待进一步研究。这些研究结果表明,超积累生态型东南景天具有较强的修复锌污染土壤的潜力。     

土壤铅镉污染修复中植物修复技术的研究进展

近年来,由于工业"三废"治理不彻底、化肥农药的过量使用以及剩余污泥回用农田等原因,导致我国土壤重金属污染日趋严重。重金属无法被降解,易在土壤中累积,并通过生物富集和生物放大效应对环境和人类健康造成危害。土壤重金属污染修复与治理成为研究热点。重金属污染治理包括客土法、石灰改良法、化学淋洗法、植物修复等,这些方法各具特点,均有其适用范围,得到国内外学者的普遍关注。文章针对土壤铅镉污染的植物修复技术展开综述,并对可能影响植物修复的一些因素进行了介绍,最后对本领域的研究方向进行了展望,以期为同行业的从业者提供一定的借鉴。     

盐土植物提取修复重金属污染盐土研究进展

土壤盐渍化和重金属污染已成为世界性的环境问题,世界众多地区同时受到高浓度可溶性盐和重金属污染,其对人体健康构成严重威胁,盐土的重金属污染问题引起人们的广泛关注。与甜土植物相比,盐土植物可在含有高浓度Na+和Cl-的盐土中生存甚至旺盛生长,因此更利于植物修复盐土重金属污染。近年来,国内外众多学者相继开展了盐土植物修复重金属污染盐土的研究,一系列重要研究成果被报道,鉴于有关盐土植物提取修复重金属污染盐土的综述尚罕见报道,综述了盐土植物对盐和重金属胁迫的耐性机理、植物提取修复潜力及其影响因素的最新研究进展,并对盐土植物提取修复的可行性、植物修复效率、局限性和挑战进行了深入讨论,对未来研究方向进行了展望。以期为今后盐土植物提取修复盐土重金属污染提供有益参考。     

Examination of Correlation between Histidine,Sulfur, Cadmium,and Cobalt Absorption by Morus L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., and Populus nigra L.

We investigated the relationship between histidine, sulfur (S), cadmium (Cd), and cobalt (Co) in three hyperaccumulating plants, namely Morus L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., and Populus nigra L. The samples were collected around Gaziantep and Bursa cities because these two cities have more than 1,500,000 populations, in Turkey, as well as they are highly industrialized. Analyses for Cd, Co, and S were done by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) and for histidine by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS). Related with role of histidine in detoxification, it was considered that histidine did not bind nickel (Ni) directly in the cytoplasm, but in transport vesicles because metal-rich vesicles had been observed in the cytoplasm of cells of hyperaccumulator plants. The linear correlations were r_his-Cd = 0.70 and r_his-Co = 0.74 for P. nigra L., r_his-Co = 0.52 and r_Co-S = 0.76 for R. pseudoacacia L. It was concluded that P. nigra L. leaves can be considered as hyperaccumulators.     

Phytoextractability of Cd from Soil by Some Oilseed Species as Affected by Sewage Sludge and Farmyard Manure

A pot experiment was conducted on cadmium (Cd)–enriched (0, 40, 80, 120, 160 mg Cd kg^?1 soil, using CdCl₂), untreated (Unamended), 3% sewage sludge–treated (SS-amended), and 3% farmyard manure–treated (FYM-amended) soils to evaluate the phytoextractibility of Cd by three oilseed crop species (viz., Brassica juncea, Brassica napus, and Eruca sativa). Visual observation showed that at or above 40 ppm Cd, some light chlorotic symptoms, resembling iron (Fe) chlorosis, appeared after 2 to 3 weeks of germination. The extent of chlorosis followed the order Eruca sativa > Brassica napus > Brassica juncea, and for amendment treatments Unamended > SS-amended > FYM-amended soils. Both the amendments resulted in an increased biomass production in comparison to the Unamended soil, with the effect being more pronounced for FYM. The dry-matter yield of different plant parts followed the order FYM-amended > SS-amended > Unamended soils. For plant species, it followed the order Brassica juncea > Brassica napus > Eruca sativa. The Cd concentration in different plant parts followed the order leaf > stem > seed in all the three species. Amongst the species, the concentration followed the order Brassica napus > Brassica juncea > Eruca sativa, and for amendment treatments SS-amended > Unamended > FYM-amended soils. The mean Cd uptake by different plant species followed the order Brassica juncea > Brassica napus > Eruca sativa, and for amendment treatments SS-amended soil > Unamended soil > FYM-amended soil. The amounts of exchangeable, carbonate bound, Fe-Mn oxide bound, and organic-matter-bound fractions of Cd in the postharvest soil samples increased with the addition of Cd in soil. However, the residual fraction did not change much. At comparable levels of Cd additions, application of sewage sludge as well as FYM resulted in decreases in the exchangeable and Fe-Mn oxide–bound fractions and an increase in the organic-matter-bound fraction. The beneficial effect of sewage sludge and FYM on biomass production was attributed to (i) improvement in the physicochemical and biological environment of the growth medium, (ii) additional supply of essential nutrients, and (iii) possible decrease in toxic effect of added Cd through organo-metallic complexation reactions.     

EDTA-Enhanced Phytoremediation of Lead-Contaminated Soil by Corn

EDTA-enhanced phytoremediation by corn (Zea mays L.) of soil supplemented with 500 mg L^?1 lead (Pb) was examined. The chelate EDTA was used in order to increase Pb bioavailability at four levels: 0 (control), 0.5 (low), 1.0 (medium), and 2.5 mmol kg^?1 (high). Plants were grown under controlled conditions in a growth-chamber with supplementary light. An EDTA concentration of 5.0 mmol kg^?1 was lethal to plants. At high and medium EDTA levels plants grew significantly less than control ones. Lead concentrations in corn leaves increased with increased EDTA levels. Plants subjected to medium EDTA level had the greatest root to shoot Pb translocation. Plants subjected to high EDTA level showed high phosphorus (P) uptake and translocation within plants. Therefore, possibly it was not only Pb that caused toxic effect on plants, but also the high internal concentration of P that in turn could have complexed active Fe.     

低分子量有机酸强化烟草修复镉污染土壤的适用性研究

采用盆栽试验,以0.125mmol/kg EDTA为对照,研究3种低分子量有机酸(酒石酸、柠檬酸和草酸)在强化烟草修复镉污染土壤中应用的可行性。3种低分子量有机酸(LMWOA)均可显著降低土壤pH,提高镉的有效含量,酒石酸和草酸对镉在烟草中转运有抑制作用,柠檬酸在酸性土壤中促进镉在烟草中转运,在中性土壤中则起抑制作用。31.25mmol/kg LMWOA对烟草地上部的生长有一定的促进作用,该浓度的柠檬酸和草酸使酸性土壤中烟草地上部镉累积量分别提高42.95%和28.67%,柠檬酸还使中性土壤中烟草地上部镉的累积量提高40.91%,所有酒石酸处理镉在烟草地上部的累积量均降低,EDTA使酸性土壤中烟草地上部镉的累积量提高24.56%,对中性土壤中烟草地上部镉累积量的影响不显著。表明柠檬酸和草酸具有强化烟草地上部对镉的吸收、提高烟草提取土壤镉效率的作用,但要获得与EDTA相当的效果,需大大提高其用量,这必然导致修复成本大大提高,故不宜用于强化烟草修复镉污染土壤。     

我国农田土壤重金属污染修复技术、问题及对策诌议

我国农田土壤重金属污染和农产品重金属超标问题突出,引起了全社会的广泛关注,随着《土壤污染防治行动计划》等各项政策措施的出台,重金属污染农田的修复治理和安全利用迫在眉睫,全国各地启动了多个修复试点工程。基于我国农田土壤重金属污染修复技术,分析了存在的主要问题,探讨今后重点研究方向和对策建议。目前农田重金属污染修复技术有工程修复、物化稳定—低吸收作物联合阻控、农艺(水分等)调控、植物吸取修复、化学淋洗修复、替代种植与安全利用等。存在的主要问题有,鲜有考虑土壤自净能力,修复目标极少考虑土壤的自然与肥力属性,修复前调查评估难以细致、修复方案可行性不强,修复实施过程监理、第三方检测需规范,以及影响修复成败的非技术因素。因此,针对我国农田土壤重金属污染修复,提出应当加强修复技术基础创新,加快修复技术集成与模式创新,加强污染调查和修复过程管理与评估。